Like in the Movies
by Kaeru Shisho
Summary: When Heero decides to date Duo, he relies on movie downloads and his friend's advice for direction.


**Like in the Movies**

Summary: When Heero decides to date Duo, he relies on movie downloads and his friend's advice for direction.

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Gundam Wing or its characters, nor do I make any monetary profit off this story.

Warning: Yaoi, AU

A/N: A big thank you to Waterlily for her fine editing

* * *

"Oh, Honey, it's time."

The man moved in for the clincher, his lips grinding into those of the young woman in his arms. They moaned and groaned and kissed deeply.

Heero studied the moves, memorizing the lines with interest. The movie's plot was pointless, but the essential progress of the romance, from the chance meeting, through timid encounters, a first date, and now this, the first sexual encounter. He knew how it ended, he'd watched it twice, and knew that life wasn't always so fanciful as to provide the perfect canonical, conventional happy ending, but he liked it and found it surprisingly satisfying. He wanted something like that and now he had the blueprint to follow to get there.

"You need a hand with that, Agent Yuy?"

With a flick of his finger, Heero switched to the screensaver and tore his eyes away from the monitor to glare at the person daring to disturb his research. What he stared up into was a clear, green eye and the hint of another behind a fall of light, brown hair.

Agent Barton narrowed his own gaze, casting it over the desktop. "It's getting late and if that report's going to keep you overtime, I'd be willing to give it a shot."

_Report? Oh_. Heero looked over his desk to find the paperwork scattered about by the fury of his fist. After completing and uploading the report electronically, he hadn't bothered to file away the supporting evidence before diving into his personal research.

"No. I have everything under control." Heero gritted his teeth in a facsimile of a smile.

"Uh, huh." The green-eyed agent waved "bye" and wished his partner and friend to "take care."

Heero flipped off his computer. Now what?

His situation wasn't identical to that in the movie. The object of his affections was male, for one, and he'd already passed through the initial introduction stages, resulting in being shot twice, caught out stealing parts, and then had mostly moved onto the next stage, without the romance. He and his object of near-worship were friends, with a stretch of imagination, and, only recently, co-workers.

"_You'll have to ask him out on a date if you ever hope to change that relationship," Trowa told him. _

That had been the advice from his friend, when Trowa had been sharing dating tips. Since he'd landed Mr. Q R Winner, his friend's confidence had exceeded the limits of his personality. It had to come out somehow and Heero might as well benefit from his experience.

Heero knew he should just call Duo. He wasn't an idiot, but he has reservations for reasons he considered to be excellent ones. He knew Duo dated some. Trowa had told him so. Actually, Trowa had told him that Quatre had told _him_ so. Apparently, Duo and Quatre were close and Quatre had listened to him recount stories about each and every one of those dates. So far, Duo wasn't a hit with the ladies. So far, Duo hadn't ventured into the men's department. So far.

That information held only the tiniest bit of promise.

Heero, however, didn't need any outside encouragement; he had plenty of his own hormonally-charged interest in Duo already.

It was only six o'clock and it was a Friday night. Would Duo be out or home? _Home_, he decided.

Although Heero had completed his assignment, successfully compiling evidence sufficient to merit the arrest warrant criteria, he had had a terrible week worrying about Duo on an undercover drug mission.

Duo's week had to have been worse. A lot worse. From what Heero had been able to discover, Duo had been cleared by medical to return to work only if he took off the required week of R&R. Heero had verified that information through Dr. Po, his medical lab informant. Apparently, Duo must have agreed. He had not returned to his workspace to begin filing his report. He'd left the building directly through the medical wing door. Checking the security monitor verified that fact.

"_Ask him out sometime."_

Easy for his friend to say. All it should take was a gut full of nerve. And, suddenly, Heero felt he was made of daring tonight. He just punched the number, knowing that if he hesitated any longer he'd never go through with his plan.

"Maxwell's clinic. If you're calling for the time of your life, hold on and I'll pick up in five…four…three…"

"Pick up, idiot."

"Heero? Hey, you got my home number. I nearly forgot I had a land line, heh, heh. So, what'sup?"

"I thought I'd like to go out," Heero paused. Go where? He hadn't settled on a place yet and now his brain was stuck in orbit, searching for a safe landing pattern—where, where, where?- and visualizing a pair of large, iris-blue eyes, a smiling face. "Would you?"

"Ma-ay-be I would. And maybe I'm already too far out there already, heh, heh. Yeah, well, anyway. I got no plans tonight. Whatcha got in mind?"

Could it really be this easy? Had he actually sweated over all this for nothing?

"Dinner?" Heero keyed in the number of his favorite pizza maker, preparing to place an order. He heard a funny sound, like the receiver had been dropped. He paused and asked, "Duo?"

"Oops! Sorry, 'bout that. Um… Already ate. How about pool?"

Delete! No pizza. Too bad he'd been sweating the wrong part. He should have thought through what he was going to say when he called – more than he had. He had readied himself with supplementary alternatives beforehand. Where had that list gone? He had to locate it or face the pool hall. A quiet dinner was out, but pool_?_ Heero knew the type of pool halls Duo frequented and all were too public and definitely not romantic.

"Not suitable."

He knew he had compiled that list specifically for this purpose and kept it close. He wouldn't have filed it! He had made a list of things to do on a first date, after looking them up on the internet and interviewing his best friend.

Trowa had had plenty of experience with many ups and downs learning how to date another man. The important fact to take away, Heero felt, was that his friend had won Quatre's heart after all was said and done. It was hard to argue with a one-hundred percent success rate like that. Trowa had proven he knew more about dating than Heero, which, in Heero's eyes, made him a man whose advice was worth listening to.

On a self-serving side note, Quatre was not only his partner's boyfriend now, he was Duo's closest friend, so what Heero had learned about Duo originated with Quatre and then was passed along by Trowa. Not quite first-hand knowledge, but it was better than nothing.

Well, if he couldn't find the list soon, Heero thought with remorse, he'd have to rely on his memory, which, considering he couldn't find the list he'd only just printed out, was a sad commentary on how this night was going to go. His brain had no problem pulling worthless vignettes to the forefront for no good reason.

"_Our first date was a picnic," Trowa explained. "Well within my budget at the time; it did not involve a second mortgage on my home."_

"_You never owned a home," Heero reminded him._

"_That's true, but if I'd had a home at the time, it would have been true." Trowa had smiled faintly. "Just a quiet get together allowing for stimulating conversation that was also a good venue to show off my masterful sandwich-making skills and wine expertise."_

_Heero's eyebrows bunched up. "You converse?"_

"_Not much, but Quatre does."_

"_You never cooked when we shared an apartment."_

"_True, but Quatre has help that packs a mean picnic basket."_

"_And the wine?"_

"_Quatre is very knowledgeable."_

_Heero thought through the facts. "You didn't take him on a picnic, did you?"_

"_It was his idea. I just tagged along. But it was a good first date."_

"_Uh, huh." Heero mumbled. "So, he gave you about two minutes and then took over."_

"_Well, yeah. But I had to let him know I was what he wanted."_

A pushover Duo was not; I could tell by the determined set of his jaw. Maybe it had been good for Trowa and Quatre, but dinner was already a solid "no" for Duo and him. Besides, Heero reminded himself, he had been trained not to trust second-hand information, even when it came to him from Trowa, with the best intentions.

"You still there, 'Ro?"

"Yes!" Found it! He scraped the paper off the floor and perused it.

"O…kay. Wanna just call back when you-?"

"No." Skim! Skim! What was wrong with his eyes? Even his brain was not functioning properly. Heero lamented in silence.

"Oh, okay." Duo said sounding game to hold on a little longer. "I can start a new game here then."

"Yes." Focus! Heero rapidly scanned the highlighted bullets for ideas. Most of them were inappropriate, like going to the beach. That was two hours away and in the throes of a storm. Besides, if it was nice there might be too much eye candy, and Heero didn't want any competition for Duo's attention. Still, he'd keep that idea on the list for another time. It offered a way to enjoy the sun, show off his toned abs in his swimsuit and see what Duo looked like in his.

"New high score! Hel-lo-o?"

"Continue holding," Heero said, reading the list faster.

"S'okay."

What had Trowa tried to drill into him? _"Do something fun. Guys like to have fun."_

Choosing something "fun" was proving to be the most difficult part. Heero liked target shooting, cleaning his firearms, and driving his car for fun. Duo's interests were widely varied, and Heero had little, _make that zero_, direct information to back this up. It hadn't come up in any conversations in passing in the hall or while riding the elevator or dashing out the door. So far, Heero hadn't managed to get to know Duo any better than he had when they were fifteen-year olds fighting in the war, and that wasn't much to go by.

When Duo Maxwell had showed up at the Preventers building for work, it had completely taken Heero by surprise. Now, he'd been there two weeks and Heero had managed a growling "hi" and a grunt or two in greeting. And that was all.

They had both been busy.

So, from what he'd gleaned from Trowa's second-hand reports, Duo was still a laid-back kind of guy, at times, and a highly charged, adrenalin junkie at other times. He did have to eat, but with his dinner plans off the table, Heero felt disoriented. Selecting something to suit Duo had become a challenge.

Think, Goddammit! Duo wasn't long on patience. He knew that. And he'd taken too long. He'd already heard Duo's exasperated sigh.

"Um, 'Ro? The way this works is that if you don't like what I suggest, then you offer me another option," Duo opined.

"Mini golf?" Heero submitted, eliminating museums, opera, and limo rides on principle and tossing the useless list. Trowa had once mentioned how Quatre venerated mini golf, a blatant lie; although, it was possible Duo might.

Duo didn't answer for longer than Heero liked. If he had to think first before answering that was a bad sign. On the other hand, it could be a good sign. Why was Duo taking so long to decide?

"Okay, um, I gotta warn ya, I've never clubbed a ball. I have had a ball clubbing, though, heh, heh. Not really. I don't do clubs."

Fortunate for Heero.

"_Avoid clubs and concerts," Trowa told him. "They are notoriously noisy places for first dates. If you want to emphasize conversation."_

"_Do I?"_

"_Probably wise, for a start. I doubt Duo's the type to hop into bed on a first date."_

"_You doubt it?"_

"_He's never dated me." Trowa laughed. "Heero, I don't even know if he's gay, or if he knows. Quatre's not even sure, truthfully. But he did say Duo had some bad experiences clubbing. So just don't go there. Not that you would."_

"_Not by choice," Heero agreed._

"You still there?" Duo asked.

Heero chuckled, but he thought it sounded forced. "I know you don't like clubs."

"Oh, yeah? How'd you know that?"

"Barton may have mentioned it," Heero said, not sure if he wanted to tell Duo about his information sources. "It will be a first for me, too, the, ah, mini golf."

"That's cool then. So, ya wanna meet there?"

"No." Heero knew he should pick Duo up, not expect to meet up and give him the opportunity to run into someone else first. Or, if it wasn't fun, Heero would want his car to drive them someplace else. That had also been the advice from his friend, when Trowa had been sharing dating tips.

"_Just be yourself. Act natural or else you'll be uncomfortable and that'll rub off on him,"_ _Trowa said._

"I'd like to pick you up." Heero felt that sounded natural enough.

"You mean give me a lift?"

"Yes."

Another long silence. Heero wondered if he should specify a car.

"You know where I live, I take it?"

"211 N. Park Street, apartment 14." Heero had that information memorized the moment it had been entered into the employee database. He'd have to thank Miss _Schbeiker_for alerting him.

"Um, yeah. Okay. So, casual. I can do that."

"Do you need more time?"

"To get ready? Shit, no. We're golfing. Ready when you are."

"Good."

"So, ah, see ya?"

"Yes, um, goodbye, then."

Heero snapped shut his phone irritated by his lame conversation and noticed his hands were shaking ever so little. His phone rang and he jumped. "Yuy! What!" he growled into it.

"You still at work?" Trowa sounded amused. Too amused.

"Obviously," Heero thought of several cutting remarks to make, none better than that one.

"Chickened out again?"

Far, far too amused.

"No. I'm leaving now to pick him up."

"Ah."

"Ah, what?"

"First dates usually are nerve-wrecking," Trowa informed him.

"This one won't be," Heero had said with all the confidence of the ignorant. "I have everything well planned. And stop talking to me as if you're reading from some Dating for Dummies book." He hung up before the laughter began on the other end.

Duo was standing by the curb in front of his apartment. As much as Heero appreciated how that streamlined their departure, he felt disappointed that he hadn't been able to knock at his door and possibly get invited inside.

"I'm not late," Heero told him.

"Not at all," Duo assured him. Heero hated knowing Duo thought he needed that reassurance. "Just… nothing to do so I came outside. Nice night."

"Yes," Heero agreed, not that he'd noticed. "I've been indoors all day."

"Me, too, mostly. That's why you thought of it?" Before Heero could answer that, Duo continued, "Thanks. Lots better than a pool hall."

Well, that much was true. If nothing else, he'd hoped that the sport would allow for some physical contact when he'd have to give Duo a crash course on how to hold the putter.

The mini golf course sported artificial putting surfaces that varied from AstroTurf to painted concrete in a geometric layout over a couple acres of land. The artificial obstacles were what caught the eye, though.

"Man, this is cool!" Duo crowed. He spun his golf club like a baton and hopped to the first hole. "So, how does this work?"

Heero imagined pressing up to that lean back, wrapping him in his arms, nuzzling into his neck while demonstrating the proper grip on the handle.

Duo, however, needed no such instruction. He had keen eye-hand coordination and geometry naturally honed from all his pool playing.

WHACK!

The ball rolled, took the bank shot at ninety miles an hour, and disappeared into the wine barrel tunnel. Just as he wondered if it had run aground, the tiny white ball streaked out the other end and directly into the cup at the far end.

"Hole in one!" Duo chortled. "Whatta the odds?"

Heero thought the odds were certainly in his favor for Duo not duplicating that swing. There was even a chance of raising the stakes, Heero had thought, with a little spirited competition. What if he proposed a little bet, like: whoever loses the game must cook dinner for the other, some time, and lock in—possibility- a second date?

Heero mulled over that scenario, swung, and missed the first time.

"Oooh, air ball. Tough." Duo had said in a conciliatory tone meant to make him feel better. "Short club, huh?"

Sure.

His first swing that actually made contact with the ball sent it flying into the great outdoors, far, far away.

"It's not like trying to drive a Leo into the outer atmosphere," Duo had joked. Again, trying to ease his unease.

That, Heero grumbled to himself, was supposed to be his job!

"Maybe you just need to work on your pre-shot routine," Duo said with a look of concern. "You seem a little…tense."

Sure thing.

Heero had gotten himself so stressed out that he could barely concentrate on his game, but still he managed to get the damned ball into the fucking hole at last. And since Duo was beating him from the get-go and Heero was an awful cook, he dropped the idea of placing that particular bet.

One hole down, seventeen to go.

"You all right, Heero?"

"Hn." What could he say to that without whining in frustration or sounding like a poor sport, or worse? He steeled himself for the next hole and hoped he'd make a better showing.

What was it Trowa had harped on? _"Loosen up a bit. Get to know Duo and have some fun together." _

How could he create a relaxing atmosphere, when anything he did was somehow wrong?

One, two, three. Bing, bang, in. Duo's little white ball avoided every obstacle, whizzing through the loop-de-loop tube, up the ramp, down the next, and went exactly where Duo wanted it to go. Just like that.

"Man! Have I got the touch or not?"

"You've done this before," Heero deduced.

"No! Really! Just beginner's luck, I guess."

It wasn't luck. Duo simply had phenomenal skill. Even Heero had to appreciate that. The entire process involved in judging the break and path of a putt Duo had down like an expert.

Unlike him. He wondered why his phenomenal skills weren't transferring just as successfully. Heero felt inept, a feeling he was unaccustomed to wallowing in.

"Hn." He wasn't even aware how much he had been internalizing his end of the conversation.

Heero placed his ball on the spot and swung. At least it only took him four strikes to complete the hole.

He felt awkward. At work, Heero was the embodiment of the cool, calm, and collected professional at the top of his game. But here? At every turn, he expected Duo to associate him with tongue-tied and self-conscious. Heero felt completely out of his depth.

At least Duo seemed to be having a good time.

"This one's cool. It's all about the timing, see?" He counted the seconds between the arms of the windmill whipping by the small opening. Then he was on his hands and knees observing the curvature of the surface. "The club strikes the ball and takes… how many seconds would you figure?"

"Five to seven, more or less. Depending."

"Right." Duo continued calculating the speed he'd have to hit the ball to match the timing of the swinging arms.

Heero crossed his chest with his arms and tried not to tap his foot.

"Um… I'm about done," Duo said, while playing with the end of his braid.

Now, he'd made Duo nervous, Heero thought with a sigh. Trowa had emphasized the point of "loosening up" over and over, and now Heero knew why. He knew he just didn't come across as a guy who was fun and comfortable with himself. How in hell could he expect Duo to relax and have a good time?

"_Don't overdo it." Trowa warned. "You go overboard and you'll scare him off."_

Heero didn't for one second believe there was anything he could do that would scare Duo Maxwell, but he knew he could sour a date pretty fast. One thing he was absolutely sure about: he wasn't going to be guilty of was doing anything spectacular.

"Did you do this much analysis plotting trajectories in your Gundam?" Heero asked abruptly.

"Um, no. Good point. I should just wing it." Duo flashed him a grin, lined up his ball, took a swing, and… hole-in-one. Again.

Heero took two tries to get the ball in the hole. He was improving.

Duo even thought so. "Your follow-through after striking the ball looked more relaxed."

"Hn."

Up ahead, blinked a model lighthouse, the next obstacle.

"_And don't forget to make Duo feel…interesting," Trowa advised._

"_He is interesting."_

"_Yeah, but you want him to know you think he is. Believe me; it's important and not hard to do. You remember a few details about his past - how many siblings he had or a little story - and you bring them up again. Quatre said you'd be gold in his books."_

Trowa's advice may have worked out for him and Quatre, but Heero didn't know very much about Duo's past or what he had done aside from the war. None of them had ever said much about their pasts, and, Heero felt, that had to be for some very good reasons. Although it might have made for some interesting stories, he doubted Duo would want to chat about it on a first date. "You still think about the Maxwell Church Massacre?" Sounded macabre at best.

"So, you returned to L2 after the war?" Heero attempted, wincing ever so slightly.

"Um, yeah. I was from there and I had a job offer to go back. You?"

"I stayed in Sanc, basically."

"Oh. That's cool."

And that was the sum total of what Heero could remember that wasn't a part of the war when they were young teenagers. That was not going to win him over, guaranteed.

Duo laughed and pointed up ahead. There was a giant fiberglass frog with painted mushrooms to shoot through. They would have to line up the shot perfectly to clear all the impediments. Duo eyed the path using the club for a straight edge guide. Heero liked the way Duo's jeans fit tight and thought the red shirt looked good. He wondered if Duo liked red as a color. He could ask him.

"_And, Heero, don't ask cliché questions or you'll come off as desperate."_

Right, so back to the past. Heero wondered how to ask Duo about his life growing up; what his nightmares were; what his training had been like; what his biggest fears were—well, maybe he should stay away from that one for a while. His hair was amazing.

"So how much time did it take you to grow your hair that long?"

Duo sprang out of his crouch, spun on a heel and stared, mouth ajar. "That's a weird question. Ah, I never really thought about it, you know?"

"You mean you've never cut it?"

"Not that I remember. It was Sister Helen who showed me how to braid it, to keep it neat and out of trouble."

"It's uniquely you." Heero's eyes ran up and down the braid and then he remembered to look Duo directly in the eyes, and, when he did, he wasn't sure what to make of the startled expression Duo gave him in return.

Duo stepped back to the tee and hit the ball. Heero didn't bother looking. He knew it went in directly and took his own turn.

"_If you can't get your eyes off him, it'll make him feel important and attractive, understand?"_

"_Yes!"_

"_No, you don't. That's the wrong look, anyhow. You're glaring now, and that __won't get__ the pheromones going, not the right ones."_

"_No, I'm not."_

"_It's that guarded look of yours. He's not a combatant," were Trowa's exact words._

_Heero had readjusted his direct glare. "Better?"_

_Trowa stared back at him. "Some. Just pay attention to his reaction. If he gets shifty, you're being too intense. You don't want to look unnatural, so don't overdo it with the gazing."_

"Another good shot," Heero said. He studied Duo and weighed the options. He decided Duo didn't appear to be uncomfortable, but he also didn't seem delighted when given Heero's undivided attention.

"Uh, thanks," Duo said in a husky voice that made the hair stand up on Heero's arms.

Trowa's words bounced around in his head_. _

"_Complimenting is tricky."_ "_It's all about balance."_ It's true, Heero thought now. Strange ideas came to mind, all of a sudden, like the way Duo's braid made him want to reach out and touch it and, of all the crazy things, to talk about it- the way it looked and swayed. He made a conscious effort not to overdo it. He overshot the hole six times. Well. Duo wouldn't think he was trying to impress him with his golfing anyway. They marched to the next hole without talking. A mini mountain rose out of the asphalt to the height of about twelve feet. A waterfall gushed out and flowed around in a semblance of a river. On closer observation, he could see that the moving water turned a mill. "There's a hole around here someplace," Duo said, and started hunting about. "_Choose three things—and I mean different—you like about him and give him a nice compliment. Make him feel lucky his good qualities are appreciated by __you__."_ "_His eyes are nice."_ "_Okay. Start with that. But don't forget his personality so you don't sound shallow."_

Heero opened his mouth to say something, but was drowned out by the incessant toot-tooting of child-sized train rumbling past on its circuit through the course. He'd had enough fun. He wasn't getting to know Duo this way and he was positive whatever Duo was learning about him wasn't flattering and, speaking of Duo, where had he gone off to?

Oh, he'd returned. Duo was, in fact, standing in front of him staring. "Heero?"

Heero could only stare in reply, having missed his chance to listen to Duo's voice while wallowing in his own internal, or was that infernal, commentary.

Duo huffed in what Heero assumed had to be frustration at his inattentiveness. "I said that this isn't a hole at all. It's just décor. The next one's over there."

Heero looked in the direction he pointed. "The thing that looks like a miniature Sanc palace?"

"Yes, that's the next hole," Duo answered, but shook his head.

Dispirited, Heero gave up saying what he'd intended to about Duo's eyes. He'd be better off acknowledging his patience and endurance and good playing. The words just didn't flow. He wasn't good at conversations, and Duo wasn't bantering like he had as a kid.

"_If you get bogged down. Think of little missions the two of you can go on that are easy. Your best bet is to make it casual and painless."_

His stomach growled its own message. Okay, : snack.

"I would like to find a…" Heero paused, thinking. Looking into the distance he could see a pictograph of a dachshund wearing a bun. "… a hot dog."

"Didn't you eat dinner? Oh, dude, no wonder. Sure, let's take care of that."

No wonder? No wonder what?

"You know where you're going?" Duo asked. "I'll follow you then."

"I see a sign," Heero explained. "Over there." Nothing could stop him now.

He looked over the menu, which was short and mostly laced with either fat or sugar. "One dog. Anything for you?"

Duo snorted and shook his head. "No thanks."

After a short wait, Heero had his order in his hand. He gave it one sniff and stared at it for life signs.

"You don't want to eat that," Duo told him. "Trust me."

"It's the best of a limited menu."

"C'mon," Duo grabbed the hotdog and flung it into the garbage. "There's a diner close. I could eat, too."

"But you had dinner already." Heero remembered. "You don't have to—"

"Actually," Duo's gaze roved the area, avoiding Heero's face, and settled on a remote object somewhere over his left shoulder. "I didn't." He tried out a little chuckle that Heero thought inappropriate.

If a sense of humor were a living thing, then Heero's would be, at that particular moment, a zombie.

"Hold on a minute," Duo said, holding up a hand to signal stop. "I just-"

Heero watched as Duo puffed enough air to ruffle his bangs, ran a hand over his braid, and stared at his toes before centering himself.

"I just get the feeling that you're not sure about this… this whole… being out with me thing, whatever it is."

A date. It was a date, and, naturally, Heero didn't feel at all secure about what he was doing, but being and tongue-tied idiot, all he said was, "Hn."

"Yeah, well, I sure as hell wasn't when you called me earlier out of the blue like that." Heero felt a stab of guilt as Duo stared hard. "Though Hilde warned me you were asking for my address—that was my only clue, well that and… forget it. Anyway, dinner sounded like a date and well…" His voice trailed off and his hands swept that topic away. "Lemme ask you something—did Trowa put you up to this?"

His throat cramped and his mouth went dry, giving his voice a new tortured edge. "Why Trowa?" And a squeak.

"Quat's gay. Trowa's gay. We are their best friends, so they think it would be neat if we got together. See where I'm going with this?"

But it hadn't been that way at all! It had been Heero's idea from the onset!

"Not exactly—"

"Ah, geez, 'Ro, you're gonna make me ask?"

Heero could mask his confusion, but didn't see any reason to. "I wasn't intending to."

That earned another huff of defeat out of Duo. "All right, I ain't no wimp so I'm gonna stick my neck out and risk it all and ask: is this a date-date and are you attracted to me and …are you gay? Yeah, I think that just about covers all the finer points that can get me kicked in the ass."

"Yes, very much so, and yes." Heero un-fisted his hands and wiped them on his jeans. "Are you?" He said that so softly we cleared his throat to say it again. "Ah-," any of the above?

"Yeah and I don't know."

Heero wasn't certain how to parse that reply. "You like me?" Heero asked cautiously.

"Oh, I don't know about _that_. Shit, I've hardly had much of a chance to learn what makes you tick these days. I mean, you've changed since we ran missions together."

"None of those were very good… encounters," Heero admitted.

"Not if you're looking at them from a date-night angle, heh, heh."

Duo chuckled! He was amused, at least. That held possibilities.

"_Guys like guys who are fun and unpredictable, something that'll make them look forward for more times hanging out with you." _

What Duo had said certainly sounded as if he were asking for more, or another chance.

"I would like a second date with you, to get to know you better," Heero stated.

"Whatcha have in mind? Bungee jumping?"

That had not been on his list of possibilities. "We can consider it."

Duo let out a real belly laugh that took a few minutes for him to recover from. "It's okay, 'Ro. I was just joking, really. We can talk about it on our way to that diner, if that's all right?" Duo looked over at him appealingly, awaiting a response.

Heero had time to nod his assent when the voice in his head started up again._ "Guys just wanna have fun-" _

"All right," Heero said, "but what I have in mind is a little more of an immediate necessity to get out of the way."

Duo's face was the picture of flummoxed.

_Tell him you want to kiss him!_

"I want to kiss you," Heero said, his eyes searching Duo's a moment and then his lips.

"_Tell him you think he has beautiful lips-"_

"Your lips…ah... you're so… hot," Heero said, choosing to end on a single word.

"_- and then go for it." _

Whether it was Duo or he who took the step forward, Heero didn't know. It all happened so fast. Duo was in his arms; his hands were in his hair; their lips pressed together. At last!He had finally silenced the self-help book quotations bludgeoning his consciousness.

Like in the movies- only better—because this was real, and hot, very hot. Good word, that.

The End.


End file.
